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Challenging times on the Pennine Way

On 9th-11th July 2010 twenty three happy hikers took to the hills of the Peak District in our Pennine Way Challenge. Among them was our regular walker and reporter David Prentice, here is his story:

“Pain is temporary but glory is permanent”. So quoted our walking leader Dave, a quote which seems to have come straight out of the ‘Dummies guide to Motivation’ but as crass as it sounded to me at the time, like most things I can see that there is a grain of truth to it. So after an unusually (and unexpectedly) straight forward coach journey we found ourselves sat in the Old Vicarage in Castleton (an annex to the Youth Hostel there). Not quite Shakespeare’s ‘greyhound in the slips’ but ready to start 2010’s Compton Hospice’s UK walking challenge nonetheless and so were listening to Dave, Jen and Claire giving us a briefing about the weekend of walking that lay ahead of us.

Castleton is a lovely village in the heart of the Peak District, with most of its houses made out of the ready-made quarry that was Peveril Castle (until English Heritage took control of the castle from 1923) and is happily well supplied with public houses. Indeed there were two fine such establishments within 50 yards of the hostel. So after our briefing we headed out to sample the wares of the Castle public house. All too soon we were heading back to the hostel where I had to negotiate the joys of a bottom bunk which had had its legs chopped off. Eventually though the time came to roll out of bed (by far the easiest option which saved a horribly banged head) and prepare for what promised to be a hard days walking.

After breakfast and putting on our walking boots we were all waiting to head out through Castleton towards the first ascent of Hollins Cross and our first panoramic views over the green Edale valley and the start of the Pennine Way. Passing under the surprisingly busy railway line (take that Dr. Beeching) we entered the small village of Edale, taking the opportunity to replenish water supplies in the small store as it was already promising to be unpleasantly warm and humid. We then turned left at the Old Nags Head pub, and, like thousands of walkers before us, we took our first steps on the 268 mile Pennine Way (which heads north across the spine of Britain to the Scottish Borders). The first few miles up Jacobs Ladder and onto the Kinder Plateau are reckoned to be among the worst (although not the highest, that goes to Cross Fell in Cumbria at 893m), and unfortunately this was our lot for the day. The ascent of Jacobs Ladder was worse than I remembered (although the humidity really didn’t help) and it was with a feeling of satisfaction that we eventually arrived at Edale Rocks to enjoy our well-earned lunch (which was hungrily eyed by persistently inquisitive sheep). A short climb then took us to the high point at Kinder Low where there was the obligatory trig point group photo before we headed along the edge of the peat moorland to Crowden Tower. Here Dave told us that “the path clings to the hillside before dropping away”, what he forgot to mention was that it plunged further and quicker than the neckline of an aspiring starlet at a Hollywood movie premiere. After a steep, and at times slightly ungainly descent on a narrow path with uncertain footing we were greeted at the bottom by the unlooked for treat of a very welcome ice cream before heading back up to Hollins Cross and the long, winding path back to Castleton.

Saturday evening saw us sat outside the Castle public house again (if one is this good, why explore the others?), where we spent the evening relaxing and anaesthetising our weary muscles. Inside the door there was a blackboard telling the story of the young couple who were murdered in the nearby Winnats Pass on their way to be married in 1758. So it was with some interest that I realised that the final days walking would take us into the very same Winnats Pass, and also onto the ruined summit of Mam Tor which suffered a large circular landslide 4,000 years ago; the remnants of which still scar the hillside today. People use the phrase 360o views very easily, but after a short climb onto the Lords Seat, the views really were panoramic with the Great Ridge, Castleton and Edale valley spread out at our feet. Once we’d survived nature’s attempts to give us a proper bird’s eye view of the Mam Tor summit (it really did feel as if the wind was set to blow us off) we were left with the slightly intimidating descent through Winnats Pass, where you are dwarfed by the sheer limestone walls of the pass which tower above you (without looking totally secure), before finally arriving back to the Old Vicarage and the long wait for the coach home.

Going back to Dave’s ‘Dummies guide to Motivation’ quote, this weekend’s walking was the most challenging, but also the most enjoyable of the four Compton Hospice challenges that I’ve taken part in so far. As with all of the weekend challenges it is good to see people push themselves so far out of their comfort zones and complete something challenging (but never at the expense of being able to enjoy each other’s company and having a really good weekend). What glory do I feel that I’ve earned this weekend? Raising money for such a good cause definitely, but also being able to share this experience with such a generous, brave and friendly group of people.

Compton Hospice would like to thank everyone who took part in the challenge including its regulars who take part year after year. The trek is expected to raise over £15000 for the hospice.

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